Manuscripts, Inscriptions, and Documents Club

In the Manuscripts, Inscriptions, and Documents(MID) Club, a recognized student organization, students work on the editing and publication of a variety of primary sources from the ancient world: manuscripts of Greek and Latin texts, as well as inscriptions on stone.

The club meets on a weekly basis to pursue research on primary sources. Over the past few years, projects have included work on manuscripts of Homer's “Iliad” and related texts, manuscripts of Jerome's “Chronicles,” mathematical diagrams in Greek and Latin manuscripts, and early manuscripts of Gregorian chant. For more information, visit the club's website, and read the classics blog posts on the Gregorian chant project and on the Homeric researchers' presentation of their work.

Parnassus

Parnassus, a journal produced annually by students in the department, showcases some of the research students do for courses or other projects, as well as creative writing and artwork.

Debbie Sokolowski '14, the editor-in-chief of the second issue of Parnassus, introduced the journal in this way: "Parnassus’ mission is to share the passion of Holy Cross students for the ancient world. This journal provides students with a way to share work from courses, research, and other projects with a wide audience. All pieces aim to be generally understandable, allowing the study of the ancient world to be more accessible to non-specialists in the community."

Steven Merola '16, the editor-in-chief of the third issue, expanded on the image of Parnassus by noting that "our contributors are none other than contemporary types of the ancient Muses, whose love for knowledge and mastery over the written word animate this hill with their passion for the classical world."

Issues of Parnassus, going back to the debut issue from the spring of 2014, are available hereon the publication platform of the Holy Cross Libraries, CrossWorks.

If you would like to get involved with the journal, please contact the faculty mentors, Professors Timothy Joseph and Aaron Seider.

Research

Classics majors have many and diverse opportunities for conducting research. Some majors pursue year-long senior theses, either through the College Honors program or within the department.

Research frequently takes place in class, as well. Podcasts created by the students in Professor Aaron Seider's course on Vergil's “Eclogues” and “Georgics” are now available through iTunes U. Read more about the project.

Study Abroad

Students in the 2016 Maymester course "Rome in History and Imagination" inside the Colosseum.

Majors can participate in the College’s study abroad programs in Athens and Rome and gain first-hand experience with classical sites. Students can spend a semester in Rome or Athens or one semester in each city.

Summer Research Program

Brian Clark '15, Claude Hanley '18, Stephanie Neville '17, Charlie Schufreider '17, Alex Simrell '16, and Melody Wauke '17 continued the work of the Homer Multitext Project by completing a digital edition of Book 18 of the “Iliad” from the Venetus A manuscript. Nicholas Jalbert '16 worked on a novel inspired by the 19th-century German scholar Max Mueller's writings about the kinship of scholarship and poetry. These students presented their work at the 2015 Summer Research Symposium.

Teacher Education Program

Classics majors frequently participate in the Teacher Education Program (TEP), which prepares students for licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In addition to taking courses in the major, students enroll in education courses specifically designed to promote excellence in teaching. The Holy Cross TEP places a special emphasis on issues surrounding urban education.

Recommended Reading List of Works in Translation

In the spring of 2016 the members of Eta Sigma Phi established a recommended reading list of works in translation for its members. Each fall Eta Sigma Phi hosts a student-faculty colloquium about one of the works on the list. The selective list is included here, with hyperlinks to freely available translations of these texts.